World Cup Wildes

Oh my, haven't I been naughty. I have been away for quite some time and to be honest I have really been lazy. I've been going to school full time, which might I add is as difficult as watching a cow eat grain. It really is child's play for me but what can I say the word "brilliant," was made for me. Since I have been away I've turn 22. Great Britain elected a new Prime Minister, Thierry Henry thought he was a basketball player. LeBron James crashed out of the NBA playoffs and fish in California have herpes now and in between all of that, all football 2009-10 seasons have concluded and champions have been crowned. Now since I have been told that the world will end in 2012 that means I don't have a lot of time so I should probably start saying prays and become for studious and less lazy. Well if you haven't heard the FIFA World Cup 2010 is being held in South Africa beginning June 11th to July 11th so from this date we don't have much long left. My task if you would have me is to keep you abreast on who is doing what and what groups there are in. So according to the ancient workings of the standardized alphabet we start with Group A. It's going to be A-mazing. I know that was a bit cheap but it is my first time being back so I'm allowed.

Group A
France
Mexico
South Africa
Uruguay

France


Les Bleus. One of the greatest teams in the world almost didn't make it. After finishing behind Serbia they needed to beat a resilient Republic of Ireland in order to reach the Africa's southern cape and they did although, marred with controversy. People say they should not be there come June 11th but I say to them. You can only score if you attack and Les Bleus did for most of the game. Can they go on and win the tournament that is a resounding yes I don't see why not. What turns me away from them achieving much however are a couple of factors. For one France have mounting injuries to key men like William Gallas and Lassana Diarra. Both men are focal points in the starting 11 and to be honest they aren't any ready made replacements for them in France. Secondly the coach Raymond Domench. This man is an idiot. He uses astrology to pick a team. He left out to my knowledge Karim Benzema and Philippe Mexes. Mexes is my dog so that is my bias comes through but Benzema is a must. Finally the French strike me as a unit not united. I think they have awful team chemistry and body language. I even bet that if they go behind to a good unit say England (BEST DEFENSE IN THE WORLD)I really doubt they have the spirit for the fight historically not only in football the French people outside of the Napoleonic Era are push overs unless things fall in there favor.

Key Man- Hugo Lloris: For all their cavalier like attacking. It is France's goalkeeping depth that is key. Behind Hugo Lloris there is Steve Mandana behind Steve is Cedric Carasso. Hugo Lloris is the most agile goalkeeper in the game today and with out Gallas or Mexes we will be needed on a regular.

Mexico


Its not very hard to get out of the Concacaf qualification zone. If you have a massive population and a history that Mexico has. When you look around the region Mexico only has United States, Costa Rica and Canada (if they feel like it,) as competition. So I really don't have to speak on their progress through qualification. Have to say they tried the Swedish sweetheart Sven Goran Eriksson a while back that didn't work out so they brought in El Vasco better known as Javier Aguirre . He righted the ship and so far it has been a breeze. I really love Mexico in fact I own a shirt. Shoot where I live in New York there is nothing but Mexicans and I love burritos match made in heaven. As a football power I'm a bit concern because Mexico has pretty much pedestrian competition in their FIFA zone so there is always the need for them to blow out the competition that is served up to them. It's like the story of a mighty island. They are magnificent against the other little islands but when facing a continent she sinks. Same can apply to America but that's not our focus. Mexico is well drilled and discipline and now they can defend very well but its like they traded in their firepower for their new armor. Mexico lately have been firing blanks they need to step up the goal department. Which is odd with Blanco, Vela, Dos Santos and Guardado you would think they would be cruel on opposition.

Key Man- Andres Guardado: Dangerous, very dangerous, he is getting better and better. Most of the creativity and guile will come through him. I'm not just praising him because he is a Depor man but he really is their best player and he defends things stuff dreams are made of.

South Africa


They say that there is a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow. For the host nation I really hope there is one here because they look to be in danger of becoming the first host not to advance beyond the group stage. These are some hard facts. We know as the host they did not have to qualify as a result they have had nothing to play for since who knows. They played in the Confed Cup which really isn't important. They did not even qualify for the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola. They switched their coach which is always rough but at least he knows the set up since he was their coach before. South Africa can't score goals that is another cold fact. South Africa's major problem is that their main attacking threat is Steven Pienaar. Don't get me wrong he is fantastic but Steve is a midfielder and a small one at that and he really has no other help in an attacking sense. Benni McCarthy God bless him because he is a devout Christian isn't the same man he once was. What saves the Africans is however the home support and the teams athleticism but let me remind you this is not cricket or rugby two sports where South Africa dominates, this is football and to be honest they are not that great.

Key Man- Matthew Booth: Forget Pienaar he can't defend any way. There is nothing more frightening than a 6'6 ft 209lbs white man barreling down upon you. That is what Booth is, he is a monolith and he's quick. Booth maybe 33 but he gets about.

Uruguay

I like to call them the little Argentina but if I said that in Montevideo they would probably stab me and burn me. Uruguayans hate Argentinians with all their hearts. Who would guess that they would have so much in common. Their flags, their ethnicity with both South American states emerging from vast European migration. More importantly to us they both won the World Cup twice. Yes Uruguay have more right to be here than any other nation who will be in South Africa. They were the first to lift the prestigious cup in 1930 and then in 1950. They have pedigree and pedigree never fades. Even if the personnel change. They play with an heir of promise and I do think they will go far and could even win it. I sound crazy and I understand why one would think that but the people of Uruguay are winners and her players were brought up hearing the glories of the past. Being West Indian I have always heard how mighty Barbados and the West Indies were at cricket and that sticks with me to this day. Their is nothing more empowering to know that men that shares your same blood who lived a few meters away from where you were bred went on and championed the world. There is something very beautiful about that and the Uruguayan players who will play in South Africa and who will ever don her colors are natural winners.

Key Man- Diego Forlan:You are a fool to think that Forlan is the only weapon Uruguay has. Diego Lugano, Edinson Cavani and Sebastian Abreu stand at the ready to support the "Golden One." Forlan has a habit of proving people wrong. I made so much fun at Forlan at his Man United days but now I eat every word twice.

Predictions
France 1st, Uruguay 2nd, Mexico 3rd and South Africa 4th. Come on... its France, the French have what it takes to win the whole thing. Uruguay have to much spirit for Mexico and South Africa. Mexico is very timid on the road and South Africa just doesn't know how to win for all the spirit they will have.